The public information network widely known as the Internet is the largest source of quickly accessible information in the world. Anyone with a computer, appropriate Internet access and interactive software (a browser) can access information on virtually any subject, and interact in many ways with other persons.
In recent years, schools such as high schools, colleges, trade schools and the like have begun offering courses, which are accessible on-line by students operating Internet-capable computers. In some cases one may work toward a degree in almost any field without ever entering a classroom. With the appropriate software program installed on a computer, an individual may have access, generally by password, to server-based material offered by a learning institution including review material, quizzes, tests and so on.
In practice, one must log in to a designated server to gain access to required study material. After study material is provided an interactive test is typically offered. Such a server records interaction by students so that teachers and administrators may review, grade, and otherwise track a student's progress.
Interactive study services like those described above, while providing an important service, are somewhat limited in scope and application. One problem is that a student must physically log-in to the service and interact with prepared material. This requires that the student remember a password and, in some cases, coded names for his correct course material. Often, the material has pre-set instructions that the student must follow before properly interacting with the offered material. If the instructions are not clear, or if they are followed incorrectly, a student may become frustrated, or have to start over after many interactions. If a student has questions, typically only e-mail is available for contacting the teacher or administrator of the course.
Another problem with the kinds of on-line education offered in the prior art is that teachers must research and prepare the material according to software conventions, which requires knowledge of computer languages. A teacher that cannot prepare the lessons according to required software convention must have a technician prepare the material and make it accessible. There are many complex routines to deal with for both teachers and students.
As described above, the Internet provides access to information on virtually any subject matter. Similarly, there are many educational Web pages that contain information that would relate to fields covered by institutions of higher learning, high schools, or trade schools. Such WEB pages are often public-domain pages and may generally be copied and used for educational purposes without permission from the creator or host of the page. Virtually any subject that is taught in a learning environment may be found on a WEB page on the Internet. In many instances, there is information available from WEB pages that has not been written in any textbook. Such pages may be accessed via one of a variety of known search tools (browsers) that are also freely available to the public.
What is clearly needed is an educational system wherein educational providers may prepare lectures and the like from existing WEB sources and package them for timed execution such that a plurality of students may learn on-line according to a pre-determined schedule, and in some cases in real time. Such an educational system would eliminate the need for complicated program configurations and pass word log-ins, and provide students with a more disciplined and structured on-line education, while at the same time provide educators with a valuable new tool to disseminate ideas.
A service like that contemplated and taught in the present invention, described in enabling detail below, would use the existing technology of Internet server/client communication, which includes multi-WEB casting capability, and abundant educational information already posted on the Internet, making it possible to obtain and prepare material, using editing tools, and package it to be sent to students having computers with Internet access.